Expansion joint filler, shear bar, and sleeve alignment device



Feb. 25, 1936. R. E. MITCHELL EXPANSION JOINT FILLER, SHEAR BAR, AND SLEEVE ALIGNMENT DEVICE Filed April 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 smwmu INVENTOR 7 Feb. 25, 1936. M|THELL 2,031,901

EXPANSION JOINT FILLER, SHEAR BAR, AND SLEEVE ALIGNMENT DEVICE Filed April 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w 6E "I I {a x 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 25, 1936 STATES PATENT OFFICE EXPANSION JOINT FILLER, SHEAR BAR, AND SLEEVE ALIGNBIENT DEVICE Robert E. Mitchell, Seattle, Wash.

Application April 2, 1934, Serial No. 718,696

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to that art of devices employed to facilitate the production of highways and more particularly to an expansion joint filler, shear bar and sleeve alignment device.

My present invention is for use in the construction of highways where expansion joints are used.

Highways are normally made either of the so called slab construction or they are poured as a more or less monolithic highway, which, to take care of expansion due to temperature changes are provided at intervals with expansion joints. In either of the two types of construction it is desirable to fill the joint between abutting slabs or abutting strips of pavement with an expansion joint which normally takes the form of a felted strip which is impregnated with usually some bituminous product that will soften when exposed to a rise in temperature and will thus permit the compression of the joint yet when the temperature falls the matted material will return to its usual position. The placing of these strips during the construction of the highway is a matter that has required the expenditure of a good deal of construction time. It is the purpose of my present invention to provide means for holding these strips securely in position so that the fluid road materials when laid will not disarrange the same. In order to provide that the abutting slabs or vertically one from the other it has been customary to employ metal shear bars imbedded half in each abutting strip and further to insure the proper workability of the bars as the two abutting strips expand toward or away from each other, it has been customary to enclose the bar portion in one of the abutting road strips in a tube so that the bar itself will bond only with one of the abutting strips and be free to move in the other. :These shear bars to be of real value mustbe of considerable length otherwise undue strain would occur at the margin of the slab and possibly cause breakage at that point. It has been found how- 7 considerable weight and the tamping of the same all tend to dislodge the bars.

Naturally, if the dowel pins are not parallel to the longitudinal axis of movement they will cause interlocking much on the same plan as drift bolting or toe nailing. This would entirely defeat the purpose of having a free moving joint, so it is very essential that the bars are held securely in their proper position until the road making material has been put in place, tamped and finished. One method employed in the past was to securely tie the members by wiring to support members, usually of steel, one on each side of the expansion joint filler, and then when the joint was finished to leave the support bars imbedded in the pavement. This method served the purpose intended but requires the additional use of steel and the expenditure 10 of an unusual amount of labor all of which added to the cost of the highway and still placed the responsibility for the accurate alignment of the shear bars upon the care exercised by a workman. My present equipment serves these various purposes in an economical manner and assures accurate placement and alignment of the expansion joint material itself and of the shear bars and bar tubes used. It is intended that before the concrete has finally set but after the joint is complete otherwise my device is lifted bodily ofi the joint thus insuring the accurate placement of the units involved.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 shows in perspective a complete device made after the teachings of my invention. Figure 2 illustrates in vertical section the manner of using my device. Figure 3 illustrates an adjustable end for use with my device. Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of shear bar centering arm. Figure 5 illustrates an adjustable alignment arm, this type would be substituted for each of the centering devices illustrated in Figure 1 if it is desirable to have a centering device that will be usable on pavements of varying thickness. Figure 6 is a top plan view of a complete device. Figure 7 is an elevation showing the side retaining members of a highway in section. Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing in greater detail one of the shear bar securing clips or dogs.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference characters indicate like parts, l0 designates the main cross bar which serves as the expansion joint holder proper. For this purpose I have found it most convenient to use an unequal leg angle having the shorter angle dis- 5 posed horizontally as H and the longer leg as l2 disposed vertically. If angle bars are used for this purpose the so called ship bars are most desirable in that the two sides of the downwardly extending portion 12 should be parallel. For this reason it is sometimes desirable to use steel plates broken to form the angle illustrated. The downwardly extending skirt portion I2 is notched as at M to provide a plurality of openings which will not interfere with the positioning of the shear bars l6. Secured to bar H! is a plurality of alignment arms E8. The method of securing these bars to cross member I B will vary with the expected use of the equipment. If a long stretch of uniform pavement is to be constructed it would probably be desirable to rivet the alignment bars to the cross bar. For most uses however, it will be found most desirable to bolt them in place so that the spacing of the alignment bars can be made to agree with the spacing of the shear bars wanted.

The exact construction of the alignment arms may be as shown in Figure 1 or it may take the form shown in Figures 4 or 5. 'In Figure 1 the alignment arms are shown with oppositely extending ends which terminate in downwardly extending bar centering saddle members and 2|.

alignment bar is responsible for the accurate direction, both vertically and horizontally, given the shear bars. If the device is going tobe used on pavements of varying thickness then it is des'irable to provide the alignment bars with adjustable end members or saddles as indicated in Figure 5. Here the construction is substantially the same as the simpler form excepting the downwardly extending portions 20 and 2| are provided with rivets or bolts 24 and 25 respectively which engage the slotted saddle members 26. Then when the adjustment is secured the bolt 25 is tightened and the shear bar will be accurately positioned for depth.

In using my equipment the expansion joint strip 28-is pierced for the shear bars I5 and an expansion joint cap 3%! is employed so as toinsure the upper surface of the strip 28 being at the desired height with referenceto the finished roadway illustrated in Figure 2-by the abutting strip 32 and 33. For cap I provide the normally used U-shaped bar 30 as illustrated in Figure 2 which may be adjustably positioned by means of bolt 34 which should be threaded into bar lfil'or arranged for a shim to be placed underneath the same. In either event the nut 35 secures the height adjustment. In order to center 'my'device-I provide a plurality of lugs '36 welded to'cross bars ID at intervals'and spaced sufficiently from the apron portion 12 to'easily accommodate the width of the joint cap 30. It is desirable to assemble an expansion strip together with its appropriate shear bars and shear sleeves ofi'the job and then put it in place as a unit. To this end it is desirable to provide means for holding strip 28 in contact with the adjusting screws 34. illustration by the pivoted dog 38 which has an This I have provided in my present upward extension as 40 permitting its manual operation and at its lower end is provided with a hook portion M to engage the shear bars from the underside, and thus insure holding strip 2:8 in

intimate contact with the stops 34.

they rest upon the side retaining members 44 they will hold my device upright. As a matter of convenience handles 45 are provided. In certain cases it is desirable to place the expansion strip 28 so as to take care of a curb which may be built as a unit with the street pavement. When this condition arises I provide slots 41 and 48 which will permit the curb portions of strips 28 as 50 and 5| to extend thru said slot.

Now it should be remembered that as the roadmaking material is poured it is semi-fluid and places considerable strain particularly at the time of pouring upon my device and it is essential that the same be not displaced or bowed. To prevent this I provide a plurality of spike holes as 52 and 53 so that the device may be secured by spikes to the side members 44 and then further provide a plurality of loops 54 which are fixedly secured to bar 10. Stakes are then driven down thru these loops and prevent any displacement of the bar itself. Some of these loops as 56 may be of considerable length so that a bar driven down thru them will prevent canting'of mydevice.

As most pavement is constructed so that the upper margin of a cross sectionis a straight-line, I have indicated my device as being straight. If however a crownedroad were to be constructed in a single width, the cross-member l0 would of necessity have to-conform to the road contour.

It has been found desirable to provide my device so that it may be adjusta-ble for length.

is to accommodateit to roads of different width and to further take care of the increased width of roads on curves. To accomplish this I-ha-ve provided the cross bar extension 50,-probably best I illustrated in Figure 3, and in greater detail in Figures 6, 7, and-8. The bar extension is formed after the manner of bar I 0 having the downwardly extending notchedskirt l2 and-the'horizontally disposed portion-l I. To secure itto cross bar It] I have provided the spaced openings as at 62 so as to adjustably engage a plurality of lugs 64 disposed on one end of crossbar Hi. When the openings 62 are matched up with corresponding lugs 64 they are secured in place by-a plurality of wedges fifiwhich in turn are secured in position .by being wire bound as illustrated at 68. For use with this extended portion the aligning-bars should be provided with slots as 10,

referring now to Figurefil, so that they toowill fit over lugs 64 after the .manner probably'best illustrated in Figure. 8.

The foregoing. description-and the accompanying drawings are believed to clearly disclosea: preferred embodiment of-my inventionbut itwill be understood that this disclosureis merely illustrative and that such changes in the invention may be made as are fairly within the'scope and spirit of the following, claims.

Having thusfully described my; invention, what Patent is:-

1. The combination with a main supporting angle bar having a depending, notched, flange, of

a series of transversely arranged centering plates angle bar, an end-extension for the bar, and

.6,0 I claim as new and desire to secure by.Letters means for fastening said extension to the bar, of a series of transversely arranged, spaced, centering members mounted on said main bar and the end-extension, means on said centering members adapted to receive and aline dowel-pins, and detachable retaining means mounted on the bar for coaction with the pins to hold the latter in engagement with the means on the centering members.

3. The combination with a main supporting angle bar having a series of spaced loops thereon, of a series of transversely arranged centering plates mounted on the bar, an end-extension mounted on the bar and provided with slots to fit over said loops, some of said plates also having slots to fit over loops, and wedges engaged in said loops for retaining the plates and extension in rigid relation to the bar.

4. The combination with a main supporting angle bar and a transversely arranged centering member for a dowel-pin, of an expansion cap adapted to engage a joint strip, means for attaching the centering member to said bar, said dowel-pin passing through a hole in the joint strip and engaging opposite ends of the centering memher, said cap located between the main bar and the top edge of the joint strip, and an adjusting screw in the main bar for co-action with said cap.

ROBERT E. MITCHELL. 

